| Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generatorRelated Patent Categories: Music, Instruments, Electrical Musical Tone Generation, Data Storage, Digital Memory Circuit (e.g., Ram, Rom, Etc.), Note SequenceScrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060027078, Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The present invention relates to a data interchange format for interchanging musical sequence data, a sound generating system capable of being mounted on portable terminals such as mobile phones and reproducing a musical file having the data interchange format, and a musical file creation tool capable of creating a musical file having the data interchange format from musical sequence data. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] There are known SMF (Standard MIDI file format) and SMAF (Synthetic Music Mobile Application Format) as data interchange formats for distributing musical sequence data to reproduce musical pieces using a sound generator. [0005] The SMF is a data format for saving musical performance information and interchanging data. When an SMF file is created based on the GM (General MIDI) standard, the file can be reproduced to a certain degree of quality according to a timbre map using musical instrument timbres provided for the sound generator. [0006] The SMAF is a data format specification for representing multimedia contents on mobile terminals (see Online document "SMAF specification outline" by YAMAHA CORPORATION retrieved on Jun. 30, 2004, at the Internet address <URL:http//smaf-yamaha.com/jp/what/smaf_spec.html>- ). [0007] Further, Patent document, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-22072, discloses the musical file (SMAF file) with timbre data. For FM sound generators, timbre data (timbre parameters) signifies parameters to specify an FM operation algorithm. For waveform memory (WT) sound generators, timbre data signifies timbre waveform data and the like. [0008] Depending on models of sound generators, the same musical instrument generates different timbre overtones and sound pressures. If an SMF file is created in accordance with the GM timbre map, there may be a case where the musical piece cannot be reproduced as faithfully as producer's intention depending on types and models of sound generators used for the reproduction. [0009] There may be a case of reproducing the musical file (SMAF file) with timbre data as described in the above-mentioned patent document on a sound generator that is incompatible with the timbre data contained in the SMAF file. In this case, the sound generator reproduces equivalent timbres using its own timbre data while ignoring the timbre data attached to the file. Likewise the case of SMF files, the sound generator reproduces the file using its own default timbres corresponding to program change numbers (timbre numbers) included in program change messages. [0010] Presently, some portable terminals use sound generators incompatible with the timbre data contained in the SMAF file. Other portable terminals use sound generators compatible with the timbre data contained in the SMAF file. [0011] FIG. 8 shows a manner by which a general sound generator, SMAF-incompatible sound generating system, reproduces a music content of SMAF file containing timbre data. [0012] According to the example shown in FIG. 8, the content is an SMAF file containing a specific piano timbre corresponding to program change number #1 and a specific guitar timbre corresponding to program change number #25. When processing this SMAF file, the SMAF-incompatible sound generating system cannot process the attached timbres. The system reproduces equivalent or substitute timbres such as general piano timbre and general guitar timbre stored in the system ROM based only on the program change numbers. [0013] Regarding the piano corresponding to program change number #1, for example, the SMAF file originally contains the timbre data representing the specific piano timbre tuned to the musical piece's atmosphere. It is not proper to use any generic piano timbres in place of the specific piano timbre tuned to the musical piece's atmosphere. Nevertheless, the SMAF-incompatible sound generating system generates substitute timbres. Accordingly, the timber reproduced by the SMAF-incompatible sound generator becomes different from the original timbre that the producer has intended. [0014] Nevertheless, a user still listens to nothing but the reproduced piano sound and may not notice a delicate difference from the original piano sound. The user misunderstands the grade of the musical file, degrading its true value. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a data interchange format (hereinafter, occasionally referred to as "data format" for simplicity) capable of ensuring reproduction of musical pieces as intended by a producer and capable of interchanging musical sequence data, a sound generating system capable of reproducing a musical file having the data interchange format, and a musical file creation tool capable of creating a musical file having the data interchange format. [0016] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a data format of music sequence data which represents a music piece and which enables a compatible sound generating apparatus to reproduce the music piece at a first quality while allowing a non-compatible sound generating apparatus to reproduce the music piece at a second quality different from the first quality. The music sequence data comprises: event data that represents various types of musical events occurring during the course of reproducing the music piece; and timing data that specifies occurrence timing of each musical event. characterizingly, the event data representing at least one type of the musical events is scrambled such as to affect performance of the non-compatible sound generating apparatus without affecting performance of the compatible sound generating apparatus, so that the compatible sound generating apparatus can maintain the first quality of the music piece even when the music piece is reproduced from the music sequence data containing the scrambled event data, while the non-compatible sound generating apparatus cannot maintain the second quality of the music piece when the music piece is reproduced from the music sequence data containing the scrambled event data. [0017] Preferably, the inventive data format further comprises timbre data which represents a set of timbres applicable to sounds of the music piece and identified by program change numbers, wherein said one type of the musical events are program change events which contain the program change numbers for specifying the timbres, and wherein the program change numbers are scrambled such that the non-compatible sound generating apparatus cannot apply equivalent timbres corresponding to the specified timbres in response to the program change events thereby failing to maintain the second quality, while the compatible sound generating apparatus can properly apply the specified timbres in response to the program change events thereby maintaining the first quality. [0018] Preferably, the inventive data format further comprises channel attribute information which defines correspondence between channel numbers and kinds of timbres allocated to notes of the music piece, wherein said one type of the musical events are note events which determine the notes occurring during the course of reproducing the music piece and which contain the channel numbers specifying the kinds of the timbres allocated to the notes, and wherein the channel numbers are scrambled such that the non-compatible sound generating apparatus cannot allocate the specified kinds of the timbres to the notes in response to the note events thereby failing to maintain the second quality, while the compatible sound generating apparatus can allocate the specified kinds of the timbres to the notes properly based on the channel attribute information in response to the note events thereby maintaining the first quality. [0019] Preferably, the inventive data format further comprises scramble information which can be interpreted by the compatible sound generating apparatus for restoring the scrambled event data and which cannot be interpreted by the non-compatible sound generating apparatus, whereby the compatible sound generating apparatus can restore the scrambled event data based on the scramble information so as to reproduce the music piece at the first quality, while the non-compatible sound generating apparatus cannot restore the scrambled event data thereby failing to maintain the second quality of the music piece. [0020] Typically, said one type of the musical events are note events which determine notes occurring during the course of reproducing the music piece and which contain note numbers specifying pitches of the notes, and wherein the note numbers are scrambled so that the non-compatible sound generating apparatus cannot reproduce the notes of the music piece at the specified pitches, thereby failing to maintain the second quality. [0021] Practically, the event data representing two or more types of the musical events are scrambled such as to affect performance of the non-compatible sound generating apparatus. [0022] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sound generating apparatus comprising: an input section that receives a musical file which contains music sequence data representing a music piece and also contains timbre data representing a set of timbres applicable to sounds of the music piece and identified by program change numbers, the music sequence data comprising event data and timing data, the event data representing program change events which occur during the course of reproducing the music piece and which contain the program change numbers for specifying the timbres, the program change numbers being previously scrambled, the timing data specifying occurrence timing of each program change event; a storage section that stores the timbre data which is contained in the inputted musical file and which represents the set of the timbres in correspondence to the scrambled program change numbers; and a generating section that generates the sounds of the music piece according to the music sequence data such that the specified timbres are properly applied to the generated sounds from the stored set of the timbres in response to the program change events even though the program change numbers are previously scrambled. Continue reading about Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator... Full patent description for Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Performance control system, performance control apparatus, performance control method, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program Next Patent Application: Entry of musical data in a mobile communication device Industry Class: Music ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Scrambling method of music sequence data for incompatible sound generator patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.16531 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
